Class of 2018 SG Eric Ayala (DE/IMG) to Maryland

[Day2]

He told our staff he was coming, he changed his mind at the last second.

You don't say. And why'd he change his mind again?

 

[Briancuse]

You don't say. And why'd he change his mind again?

We all know why, you said we had no chance, that just isn't true at all, he clearly was ready to commit here.

 

[AZOrange]

If we brought in a Jonny Flynn like talent I think JB would consider switching to m2m in games we were getting torched.

JB did it in 2009.

There is zero chance we play M2M under JB. ZERO.

 

[EastCoast2]

I brought up Howard Washington because Sully mentioned program guys.

We were not going to bring in Ennis and Morris together, and Ennis was a better prospect at the time. Those of you who keep bringing up Morris are basically upset that we nailed the Ennis pick.

We were never going to get Duval. Same goes for Green once Kentucky got involved.

Isaiah Washington might be one of those undersized guys who doesn't fit in. Apparently the staff felt it was worth the risk by not getting involved with I. Washington or Coleman when they were going after Green.

Sounds like the staff contacted MAL, but they couldn't have been that interested since he wound up at Providence.

Ayala wants to stay in 2018. You're blaming the staff for that? Kid can do whatever he wants, it's his life.

Go ahead and name some more. I already spotted you Coleman.

So you're saying we had no shot at Quade once UK got involved, yet we still ignored Coleman and Washington?

You aren't the least bit concerned that we basically told Ayala he's our PG priority, and he would have a very good shot at starting for us at some point during the season, and he still said no thanks? Do you think Kansas has ever been turned down in favor of some prep school in the middle of nowhere Connecticut? Yes this is an embarrassing development for the staff. We have two major headwinds as a program: the 2-3 zone and a 72 year old head coach. More and more kids are being turned off by the 2-3 zone and the (not completely true) stigma of hurting NBA draft status, while we turn away top-50 talent because PGs apparently aren't tall enough. We would have never recruited Tyler Ulis and he was the SEC player of the year. WRT JB, major questions exist with current HS juniors about "will this guy still be there my sophomore or junior season? Will a new coach come in and not be loyal to me? Do I trust JB's promises if he might be gone in 2019?

I don't think it's blasphemy to say that the staff really screwed up recruiting a PG in the 2017 cycle.

 

[GooseMutt]

When was the last unexpected/good surprise for Syracuse? Tyus, I guess, but even that was a rollercoaster. It'd be nice to see something out of the blue and stellar like "Mo Bamba back in play" on Monday, visits on Saturday, commits on Monday.

Tyus Taurean and White were all pleasant surprises for me last year

 

[Alsacs]

There is zero chance we play M2M under JB. ZERO.

I can't wait for an inferior team to keep it close because we refuse to mix things up even in small amounts.

This 100% zone stuff only works with the proper personnel.
Oh great we will do with our least talented roster in years.

 

[GooseMutt]

Yep. But we're a fickle bunch, aren't we? There were a lot of people who were high on Howard after his freshman year, and I'm pretty sure some of them are the very people who think he's garbage now. I wasn't in the first camp back then and I'm not in the second camp now, but I do believe players can improve. Novel concept, I know.

Frank has the ability but needs the composure and to have a short memory after mistakes

 

[AZOrange]

I can't wait for an inferior team to keep it close because we refuse to mix things up even in small amounts.

This 100% zone stuff only works with the proper personnel.
Oh great we will do with our least talented roster in years.

Inferior teams have done that for years. JB isn't changing. And who know what we have on this team. Everyone thought we were final four caliber heading into the season. Lots of stuff to still shake out

 

[Day2]

So you're saying we had no shot at Quade once UK got involved, yet we still ignored Coleman and Washington?

You aren't the least bit concerned that we basically told Ayala he's our PG priority, and he would have a very good shot at starting for us at some point during the season, and he still said no thanks? Do you think Kansas has ever been turned down in favor of some prep school in the middle of nowhere Connecticut? Yes this is an embarrassing development for the staff. We have two major headwinds as a program: the 2-3 zone and a 72 year old head coach. More and more kids are being turned off by the 2-3 zone and the (not completely true) stigma of hurting NBA draft status, while we turn away top-50 talent because PGs apparently aren't tall enough. We would have never recruited Tyler Ulis and he was the SEC player of the year. WRT JB, major questions exist with current HS juniors about "will this guy still be there my sophomore or junior season? Will a new coach come in and not be loyal to me? Do I trust JB's promises if he might be gone in 2019?

I don't think it's blasphemy to say that the staff really screwed up recruiting a PG in the 2017 cycle.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it too late for Coleman and Washington once UK got involved?

It doesn't sound like the Ayala saga is over just yet. I'm guessing he was offered a Dion Waiters role, backing up Howard and Battle. Why he's passing on that opportunity depends on what you believe. If you believe he's making all of these decisions on his own, then it would appear he's comfortable waiting a year for something better. If you believe someone's in his ear, as dasher alluded to, then it's not as simple as you're making it out to be.

So let me get this straight: When Hop was the coach-in-waiting, there were trust/loyalty issues with recruits because it wasn't clear when he would be taking over. When the start date for Hop was announced, there were trust/loyalty issues with recruits because JB would be gone. Now there are trust/loyalty issues because JB is sticking around? Man, some of you really want JB to retire.

(BTW, there are a lot of old coaches in the ACC.)

Mistakes were made this cycle, no question.

 

[Alsacs]

The biggest takeaway I have gotten from the people in this thread I trust have access.

Is that Ayala is the 2nd PG this cycle to tell GMac he was going to Syracuse and pull the rug out and changed their mind.

I don't get how that is happening but it needs to be corrected. Close isn't good enough.

Syracuse should be able to snag a top 100 guard every cycle.

 

[EastCoast2]

So let me get this straight: When Hop was the coach-in-waiting, there were trust/loyalty issues with recruits because it wasn't clear when he would be taking over. When the start date for Hop was announced, there were trust/loyalty issues with recruits because JB would be gone. Now there are trust/loyalty issues because JB is sticking around? Man, some of you really want JB to retire.

(BTW, there are a lot of old coaches in the ACC.)

Mistakes were made this cycle, no question.

How many of these old coaches in the ACC were publicly and officially announced, after several scandals, supposed to be playing golf full time after the 2017-2018 season? As JB gets older, our recruiting seems to be getting worse. Recruiting was great in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, when JB's retirement wasn't around the corner, and not even a consideration for recruits. Now every opposing coach is telling these kids that JB is a ticking time bomb and Bo Ryan situation waiting to happen.

 

[jordoo]

The biggest takeaway I have gotten from the people I trust have access.

Is that Ayala is the 2nd PG this cycle to tell GMac he was going to Syracuse and pull the rug out and changed their mind.

I don't get how that is happening but it needs to be corrected. I don't think GMac is doing that bad if he getting this close. However close isn't good enough.

I have no issues continuing to recruit kids like Green and Ayala who may drag things out a while. I don't even have an issue with Gerry being the lead guy on some recruits. I just feel like we need to keep recruiting other players at there positions until you have a public verbal commitment at the very least and a LOI if you can get it. Green came running back to the Hill when we scheduled Matt Coleman for a visit and then we cancelled the visit with Matt and we still had nothing concrete from Green. I think Green would have been signed up a long time ago had we recruited another PG seriously. I'm not saying we give kids ultimatums I'm just saying we keep recruiting and the later it gets in the process the more seriously we have to go after other targets.

 

[cuse10]

The biggest takeaway I have gotten from the people in this thread I trust have access.

Is that Ayala is the 2nd PG this cycle to tell GMac he was going to Syracuse and pull the rug out and changed their mind.

I don't get how that is happening but it needs to be corrected. Close isn't good enough.

Syracuse should be able to snag a top 100 guard every cycle.

Besides holding his mother hostage, kids change their mind especially when they are making a decision that has the potential to impact the rest of their lives.

 

[GooseMutt]

The biggest takeaway I have gotten from the people in this thread I trust have access.

Is that Ayala is the 2nd PG this cycle to tell GMac he was going to Syracuse and pull the rug out and changed their mind.

I don't get how that is happening but it needs to be corrected. Close isn't good enough.

Syracuse should be able to snag a top 100 guard every cycle.

I thought the NCAA sanctions to remove the wins was the worst impact but now I am realizing that the inability to put coaches on the road , reduced scholarships and stigma of the sanctions ended up being much worse then I anticipated

 

[Alsacs]

I have no issues continuing to recruit kids like Green and Ayala who may drag things out a while. I don't even have an issue with Gerry being the lead guy on some recruits. I just feel like we need to keep recruiting other players at there positions until you have a public verbal commitment at the very least and a LOI if you can get it. Green came running back to the Hill when we scheduled Matt Coleman for a visit and then we cancelled the visit with Matt and we still had nothing concrete from Green. I think Green would have been signed up a long time ago had we recruited another PG seriously. I'm not saying we give kids ultimatums I'm just saying we keep recruiting and the later it gets in the process the more seriously we have to go after other targets.

I still want results from the coaches though.
Whose decision was it to cancel Coleman?
Hop? GMac? JB?

 

[Alsacs]

I thought the NCAA sanctions to remove the wins was the worst impact but now I am realizing that the inability to put coaches on the road , reduced scholarships and stigma of the sanctions ended up being much worse then I anticipated

JB wasn't going on the road before the sanctions that much.

So it basically kept one of Autry/GMac/Hop at home.

That didn't kill us.

Francis covered it on his podcast. We need more energy on the trail and use our bigger guns. When other teams are using their bigger guns we are using GMac.

That isn't fair to GMac.

Stigma of sanctions really didn't hurt us. Our decisions in recruiting have been the problem.

 

[billsin01]

Mistakes were made this cycle, no question.

I'm not totally sure of the specific debate you're having but this line is a key line, IMO. I think people dramatically underestimate the extent to which sometimes mistakes happen in recruiting. Sometimes you chose the wrong guy. Sometimes you get your guy but he has off-court issues or doesn't develop the way you projected. I mean, those things happen. You don't see ramifications at a lot of big-time schools -- even the Cuse has been more immune to this than many b/c of it's ability to recruit -- but they happen from time to time.

Does that make it OK? I don't know, but the staff does appear to have had some missteps or fits and starts this cycle. Sucks, but it does happen from time to time.

 

[GooseMutt]

JB wasn't going on the road before the sanctions that much.

So it basically kept one of Autry/GMac/Hop at home.

That didn't kill us.

Francis covered it on his podcast. We need more energy on the trail and use our bigger guns. When other teams are using their bigger guns we are using GMac.

That isn't fair to GMac.

Stigma of sanctions really didn't hurt us. Our decisions in recruiting have been the problem.

Guess he thought the legacy of the program would bring the recruits to his door. Ultimate sense of entitlement but recruits have drastically changed into divas

 

[Alsacs]

Besides holding his mother hostage, kids change their mind especially when they are making a decision that has the potential to impact the rest of their lives.

Basketball before this cycle wasn't anything like football. In football we see flips all the time.
Typically when you commit in basketball it sticks. That is why Tyus Battle's flip was completely shocking and thankfully we got him.

Our staff isn't closing. They are getting the kids to say yes and then they don't.

 

[billsin01]

Just a question what is our system?

Any guard can play zone. We don't run a real offense. Our system isn't that hard. Gillon was a solid offensive option but he wasn't tall and good fit for the zone. However we took him.

We need talent. Fitting the 100% zone mantra is actually hurting with us some elite prospects see. Quinerly.

I agree with the idea that we don't have to have the ideal fit at PG to get good production from a player, but for the record, Gillon was not good in the zone nor was he particularly good offensively in terms of running an offense and generating his offense vs. other quality teams.

I mean, the guy had more than three FGs in just 9 of our final 22 games. He was dominant against NC State (huge for us) and phenomenal against Duke (obviously hitting a massively big shot) while putting up a good game against Pitt. For the rest of the ACC schedule he was somewhere on the scale between awful and OK. Huge FTs vs. FSU, good overall game vs. Miami, etc. But generally he really struggled to create offense.

 

[Day2]

The biggest takeaway I have gotten from the people I trust have access.

Is that Ayala is the 2nd PG this cycle to tell GMac he was going to Syracuse and pull the rug out and changed their mind.

I don't get how that is happening but it needs to be corrected. Close isn't good enough.

Syracuse should be able to snag a top 100 guard every cycle.

Do you think Hop or Red would have closed Green?

 

[Alsacs]

Do you think Hop or Red would have closed Green?

Hop would have been our best bet no doubt. Hop has recruited a lot of 5 stars for us.
Calipari vs. GMac wasn't fair to GMac. He wasn't in a fair fight. Atleast Hop was recognized as a top 10 recruiter by ESPN.

 

[billsin01]

In part because Flynn insisted on it. But I'm glad you brought up Flynn, because it illustrates the issue with committing to guys who don't really fit in here. The 2009 team had a nice run in the BE tourney and a respectable Sweet 16 appearance, but it wasn't one of our better squads defensively. And we were a mess the year before.

And we probably don't get the early commitment from Flynn in this day and age, even with Harris already here.

Not sure you can put that on Flynn. I agree that he wasn't a great point guard in the truest and most traditional sense of the word. But the frosh team got hurt bad by injuries to Devendorf (who had a great start to the year) and Rautins, who wound up playing great basketball the next two seasons (including being really good on defense).

Sophomore year flynn was a bit uneven during the regular season but still averaged 17 and 7 on a team that won 28 games, won three games in the BET (including the six OT game) and then ran into a red hot Oklahoma team with Blake Griffin. I mean, it's tough to find too much fault with that year.

 

[cuse10]

Basketball before this cycle wasn't anything like football. In football we see flips all the time.
Typically when you commit in basketball it sticks. That is why Tyus Battle's flip was completely shocking and thankfully we got him.

Our staff isn't closing. They are getting the kids to say yes and then they don't.

So it was OK for Battle to change his mind on Michigan, but not cool for Ayala, Green and the hundreds of kids who've done it before them to not flip?

 

[cuse10]

Green was on campus the week before he flipped for a game against Colgate. If that doesn't tell you what you need to know regarding his recruitment, I don't know what else to tell you. Wasn't until William Wesley was with him at MSG when people became rightfully worried.